


heavy is the crown

by wisdom_walks_alone



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU, Super Sons (Comics), Superman - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Batfam Big Bang, Batfam Big Bang 2020, M/M, Modern Royalty, Slow Burn, based on a disney channel movie, no capes AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:27:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26738839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wisdom_walks_alone/pseuds/wisdom_walks_alone
Summary: Ra's al Ghul has had his eyes on the throne of Nanda Parbat for a long time. Now that the crown is being passed down, he takes his chance.Prince Damian plays a vital role in Ra's plans for a takeover, and for his protection he is sent into hiding on a farm in Smallville, Kansas. Jon Kent is not too happy about this.A jondami Princess Protection Program AU.
Relationships: Clark Kent & Damian Wayne, Jonathan Kent & Kon-El | Conner Kent, Jonathan Kent/Damian Wayne, Tim Drake & Damian Wayne
Comments: 17
Kudos: 60
Collections: Batfam Big Bang 2020





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hey hey hey! i had the pleasure of being an admin for the batfam big bang this year, which is what this fic is written for! i'd like to thank my entire team of artists and betas for being absolutely fantastic people to work with. i'll post links to art in the notes of the chapters they correlate to!
> 
> check out the [batfam big bang collection](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/bbb20) to see all the wonderful fics that have been written for this bang, and [check us out on tumblr](http://batfam-big-bang.tumblr.com) as well!
> 
> this fic was edited by my wonderful betas [ren](http://dont-taunt-the-octopus.tumblr.com), [fareeha](http://onwater.tumblr.com), [nabil](http://dragonbane805.tumblr.com), and [dee](http://bondingrazzledazzletime.tumblr.com)! the amazing art pieces to accompany this fic were made by [abisalli](http://abisalli.tumblr.com), [noblematic](http://noblematic.tumblr.com), [battoad](http://battoad.tumblr.com), [zannakai](http://zannakai.tumblr.com), and [bittlebarnes](http://bittlebarnes.tumblr.com)!

The courtyard is decorated for a celebration. The shrubs are trimmed, banners are hung, and every window is spotless and scratch free (including the one Jason and Timothy broke last week).

Damian files into the courtyard following Jason, Cassandra, and Tim, and stops to stand with Cass and Tim on the left side of the platform while Jason joins their father on the right. Alfred stands at the entrance to the courtyard.

The music starts playing, and Damian watches as Richard walks into the courtyard and is led to them by Alfred. He smiles grandly, as if their subjects could see them now. Damian can’t keep the smile from his own face as he thinks about how much Richard deserves this.

Their father is stepping down from the throne. Richard is next in line as the oldest, but he deserves it in every way that counts. He was made for this, Damian knows it. He was born to be a leader.

Of course, that is still a month away. Why they would need to be practicing so early is beyond him, but Damian had attributed it to Alfred’s meticulous planning. No hair would dare be out of place on his watch.

Alfred is darting around Richard as he walks, ensuring every button is shined and each epaulette is straight. Richard chuckles, humoring him, but good naturedly swats him away. As they make it to the end of the long carpet their father steps up to meet him, and Alfred takes his own place beside Jason. Father stands tall, and Richard stands tall to match.

Father smiles at Richard, warm and proud, and Damian is pretty sure he sees his eyes glistening. He places a firm hand on Richard’s shoulder, squeezes it, and Richard returns the smile just as warmly. “I am so proud of you, son,” Father says, voice swelling with pride.

Richard’s smile never wavers as he chuckles and shakes his head. “Father, I am not a child any longer,” he gripes, but there’s no bite to his words.

“No, you’re not,” Father concedes, “but I can still be proud. You are still my son.”

“This isn't even the real coronation,” Jason butts in. “Quit being so sappy.”

Somehow, Richard’s dimples deepen. “I know you are feeling sentimental, too, baby brother. There is no need to hide it behind a facade of sarcasm and indifference.”

Jason huffs, but he’s smiling, and Damian rolls his eyes. They are all proud of Richard. They are all incredibly happy for him, and the grumpy black sheep of the family is no different.

Tim mutters something under his breath and Cass elbows him in the side. Damian didn't catch what he said, but he snickers as his brother complains about bruising his ribs anyway.

They all fall silent as their father begins his speech. He talks of their country, their kingdom, how it has prospered and all the progress they have made. He speaks of all the progress they will make and all the hope he has for the future.

At his cue, Richard kneels in front of their father. But as he is lowering the crown onto Richard’s head, gunshots ring throughout the palace.

Screams can be heard from the palace staff, many of those who have been milling about the courtyard running inside. Richard’s head snaps up immediately and he locks eyes with Father, who nods curtly before Richard grabs Damian by the arm and runs, leading him through the twists and turns of the palace halls.

“Richard, what is happening?” Damian tries desperately. “Where are we going? What about the others?”

Richard doesn’t stop, doesn’t look back at him as he continues swiftly through the corridors. “It is not safe, Damian, we have to go. I will explain everything, I promise.”

Damian’s heart pounds in his ears as the gunshots continue to echo throughout the palace, screams ringing through the halls. Only when they reach one of the more secluded hallways on the outskirts of the palace does Richard slow down, but he does not let go of Damian’s arm, his grip firm, much like their father’s. It’s oddly comforting, a steady presence in the uncertainty that surrounds them.

A man emerges from another hallway, and Damian tenses, thinking the worst, but Richard keeps his pace towards him. “Damian, this is Agent Kent. Father and I knew that your grandfather would try something while the leadership of the kingdom was changing hands, so we came up with a plan to protect you. I need you to trust him, alright? I need you to go with him and do everything he says.”

“But Richard—Dick, where are we going?”

Richard smiles sadly and shakes his head, placing both his hands on Damian’s shoulders and gripping them tightly. Once, he may have knelt to be on Damian’s level, but there is no need to do that anymore. Damian is sixteen; he is almost as tall as Richard now. “No, baby bird, not us, _you_.”

Damian’s blood runs cold and dread settles in his stomach. “But what about you? What of the others, what of Father?” He grips Richards arms back tight, his knuckles going white, eyes wide with fear and panic. He doesn’t care if he’s being childish, he’s _scared_ , and he wants his father and his siblings. Richard squeezes his shoulders again, not breaking eye contact.

“I promise, your family will be safe, Your Highness,” Agent Kent swears, holding out a hand. Damian stares at it but doesn’t take it. More gunshots sound, seeming closer than before.

“I know this is scary, but it is not safe for you here. You must _go_ ,” Richard insists with urgency. “You have to be brave, Damian.”

“I am brave,” Damian replies, a knee jerk reaction. He internally flinches at how juvenile it sounds.

Richard smiles again. “I know you are. Now go, you can trust Agent Kent.”

“But Richard—”

“Here.” Richard lets go of his shoulders to reach up to his jacket. He presses something into Damian’s hand, and their family crest stares back up at him. He closes Damian’s hand around the brooch and squeezes it in both of his own. “So you will have a piece of the kingdom and our family with you, always. Now go. _Go_.”

He shoves Damian into Agent Kent’s arms and suddenly he’s being whisked away again, the brooch clenched tightly in his fist. He watches over his shoulder, stumbling after Agent Kent as Richard retreats back to the main grounds of the palace.

“We have to hurry,” Agent Kent calls back to him, and they pick up their pace slightly, Damian left stumbling along with Agent Kent’s long strides. They weave through the gardens and make it to a clearing, where a helicopter is waiting. Agent Kent helps hoist him into it before running around to the other side and jumping in, pulling the door shut behind him. Then the helicopter is taking off, and Damian is left watching as his home disappears on the horizon.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the danger behind him, all that's left for Damian now is to find out what happens next.

“Where are we going?” Damian asks quietly, the island of Nanda Parbat becoming nothing but a speck in the distance.

“Somewhere Ra’s will never find you,” Agent Kent answers as he steers the helicopter. Damian clutches the brooch of his family’s crest tighter.

Some time later they land on a leafy island, covered in greenery and foliage. Agent Kent helps Damian from the helicopter and leads him on a path through the leaves. They come upon a hidden compound, and Agent Kent inputs something to open the door. He ushers Damian inside and Damian registers that it’s an elevator. He feels as it starts to descend below the ground.

The elevator stops for a moment and the door opens, and a woman with dark hair enters. “Agent Kent,” she says.

“Diana,” he replies.

“Good work, Kent. I’ll take it from here."

Agent Kent nods and steps out, and Damian is left alone to talk to this “Diana.” He suddenly feels very vulnerable, and he wants to kick himself for it.

“Hello, Prince Damian.” She smiles at him, her teeth perfect and pearly white.

“Where am I?” Damian demands, involuntarily taking a step back.

“You don’t have to be afraid,” Diana assures him, her smile calm and placating. “You are safe here.” She folds her arms and starts to pace the length of the large elevator. “We are the International Royalty Protection Program, or the IRPP, a program funded by the royal families of the world to keep them safe in times of trouble. Your father knew that Ra’s al Ghul would try something while your kingdom was changing leaders, so he contacted us requesting that we send our agents to watch over your brother’s coronation.”

“But his real coronation is not supposed to be for another month,” Damian points out.

“Well, it’s a good thing we decided to err on the side of caution.”

“But why now?” Damian pushes. “Why try something now, after all these years?”

Diana smiles calmly. “In times of political uncertainty a kingdom is left vulnerable to conquest.”

“But there is no uncertainty!” Damian says, voice rising. “My brother will make a fine king, maybe even a better king than our father!”

Diana holds up her hand. “That might be true, however Ra’s does not see it that way. The al Ghuls have had their eyes on the throne of Nanda Parbat for quite some time. They have been in this for the long term. After all, you’re here.” Damian flinches at the reminder. “They saw an opportunity and they took it. We can only be thankful that your father predicted his plans.”

“Yes,” Damian concedes, “he is good at that.”

Diana smiles again as the elevator door opens again. “Indeed. Now please, follow me so that we can get to stage four as quickly as possible.”

“Stage four?” Damian asks. “What was stage one?”

“Extraction,” Diana replies smoothly. “You are in stage two right now, transition, and we will move on to stage three, transformation, then we will move to stage four, relocation.”

“Relocation? Relocation to where?”

“To somewhere where you will be safe, where Ra’s will be unable to find you.”

“Am I not safe here?” Damian questions.

Diana gives him that placating smile. “Yes and no. This is only a temporary placement, the central hub, if you will. We are not equipped with the resources to house and provide for so many for extended periods of time. Please, follow me, and all will be clear soon.” She gestures for him to go first, and he obliges, keeping his head held high and refusing to let his fear show.

He’s met with a bustling room, full of people rushing around. There’s so much to take in he’s almost overwhelmed, but frankly he’s kind of used to the busy atmosphere. He’s been to enough balls and banquets and galas in his life to last the next eighty years.

Diana’s hand on his back leads him to a small room, with a mirror and a small countertop, and a soft couch. He can see the door to a bathroom off to the side, and some clothes are laid out on the couch.

“Feel free to freshen up,” Diana says. “We will come check on you in a bit.” She closes the door, and for the first time Damian is left alone. He has never been so acutely aware of such a fact in his life.

He glances at the clothes folded on the couch and then at the mirror, and he must admit that he does need to clean himself up. His hair is a mess from the helicopter and the trip through the forest, and there’s some dirt on his coat that Alfred would surely throw a fit over if he were here. Damian rubs a rough hand over his face and he’s suddenly very aware of how tired he is.

He glances at the bathroom, and he starts to strip. Leaving his discarded clothes in a pile on the floor, Damian makes his way to the small shower. Once inside he allows himself to relax under the hot water as it runs over his skin, trying to relieve the tension that’s settled in his muscles since he fled the palace.

He stays in the shower for a long time. He’s not sure how long, but the water never ran cold, though that’s more of a reflection of the plumbing than of how long he was in the shower for. When he gets out he dries himself off and wraps a towel around his waist, picking his clothes up off the floor to place them more neatly on the couch. Damian picks up the small pile of clothes that were left for him and gets dressed.

It’s nothing fancy, and is quite comfortable, actually. A pair of black jeans, a plain red t-shirt, and some sneakers. Something he might wear just hanging around the palace or going into town.

As if on cue, the door opens to reveal Diana, and Damian vaguely wonders if they’ve been watching him. He doesn’t think so, though. There aren’t any visible cameras and this is a private organization as far as Damian can tell. Though even if they were, he can’t find it in himself to care.

“Good, you’re dressed. And I presume you showered as well.” Diana slides into the room to stand in front of Damian.

Damian tenses, very aware of all the people bustling around outside the door. “What happens now?” he demands.

“Now, you will be relocated somewhere where Ra’s will not find you,” Diana supplies.

“And where is that?” Damian asks, trying not to let the rising fear creep into his voice.

“What’s important is that you will be safe. That’s all that matters.”

Damian tries to quell it as much as he can but he’s shaking like a leaf. “I wish to speak with Agent Kent,” he says firmly. When Diana doesn’t make a move to oblige, he raises his voice. “Now!”

Diana purses her lips. “Very well.” She walks out of the room, thankfully closing the door behind her. Damian holds himself and tries to steady his breathing. He wants to go home.

Richard’s words ring in his ears.  _ You have to be brave, Damian. You can trust Agent Kent. _ He can trust Agent Kent. His family knows Agent Kent.

The door opens again and Agent Kent walks in, a sympathetic look on his face. “Prince Damian, you wanted to see me?”

“Take me home,” Damian blurts. “I shouldn’t be here. I should be home with my family.”

Agent Kent sighs and wrings his hands, then gestures to the couch. Damian slowly sits down, and Agent Kent does the same. “I can’t do that, Your Highness. It isn’t safe. Your grandfather—Ra’s—he has your kingdom in an iron grip. The only thing keeping him from taking over completely is the fact that you’re here.”

“But my family,” Damian insists, “my brothers and sister, my father, Alfred—what will become of them?”

“They will be safe as long as Ra’s can’t find you,” Agent Kent assures him. “Ra’s has no real power. He has no way to justify his rule. Right now your kingdom is simply occupied. If Ra’s hurts the royal family in order to take over, the public outcry will be tremendous. By staying hidden you are protecting your family.”

Damian gulps. “And when can I go back?”

Agent Kent smiles sympathetically. “I’m not sure, Your Highness.”

Damian has to resist the urge to ball up and cry. Instead, he blinks back his tears and steels himself. “Very well. If it is to protect my family then I will comply. Where is it that I will be staying?”

Agent Kent smiles again, this time a little brighter, more optimistic.

The plane ride is long, but Damian has suffered worse. When they leave the hangar Agent Kent leads him to a beat up old pickup truck in the lot and he climbs in. The car ride is quiet, passing through long stretches of nothing but fields and pastures. But as it becomes more populated, Agent Kent smiles and gestures out of the windshield. “Damian, welcome to Smallville.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> an absolutely beautiful portrait of damian was made by [battoad](http://battoad.tumblr.com) on tumblr! go give it some love [here](http://wisdom-walks-alone.tumblr.com/post/630916552976449536/auriiiii-this-is-absolutely-gorgeous-i-love-it-and)!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jon gets a little bit of a surprise when he gets home from school.

Jon closes his eyes as the rickety school bus rattles along the dirt road to his house, ignoring the noise of the kids around him. He turns the volume up on his headphones and presses his head into the seat behind him, letting his music drown out whatever’s going on this time. He thinks someone hooked up with someone’s boyfriend, he doesn’t particularly care to double check that rumor.

His headphones are pulled from his head and he sits up, eyes flying open to see who the culprit is. “Hey!” He instinctively reaches out a hand to grab them back.

Conner doesn’t put up a fight and relinquishes the headphones. “Our stop, squirt. Let’s go, Dad should be home today.” Jon grabs his backpack and hits Conner in the back, but he doesn’t escalate it past that this time. Don’t want to cause problems when Dad just got home.

Jon has always known what his father does for a living. When he was little he thought it was cool, but as he’s gotten older the effect has worn off. He just hopes that his Dad will be careful.

He’s never been a fan of how his dad always has to leave for an undisclosed amount of time. But he always promises to come back, and Jon can only hope there will never come a day when that promise is broken.

But Kon’s right, Dad is home, because the beat up blue pickup truck is back in the driveway next to Mom’s car. He kicks off his shoes at the door and tosses his bag on the kitchen floor, greeting Krypto as he passes. 

“Yo, Pops, we’re home!” Conner calls, and Jon follows him to the living room where their dad is sitting in his favorite armchair.

“Hey, boys! How was school?” Dad sits up straighter, putting his newspaper on the coffee table and pushing his glasses up.

“It was alright.” Jon shrugs, and goes to give his dad a hug. “How was your mission?”

“Good,” Dad answers, “it was good. I wanted to talk to you about that, actually.”

Jon looks at him quizzically, tilting his head. His dad never talks about the details of a mission. “Okay…what is it?” He glances back at Conner to see if maybe he knows what this is about, but his eyebrows are raised and he just shrugs at Jon. Jon turns back to his dad, who looks a little sheepish as he rubs the back of his neck.

“Why don’t we go play some catch, huh?” he suggests, jutting a thumb at the door to the back porch.

Growing even more suspicious, Jon narrows his eyes, but he’s not going to turn down a game of catch with just him and his dad. “Okay, sure, let me just grab my glove.”

“Jon, wait—”

Before he hears what his dad is about to say, Jon darts down the hallway to his room. He ducks inside the door and goes straight to where he knows his baseball glove is. He grabs it and turns back to the door to go back to his dad.

“Hello.”

“Hey.”

Halfway out the door, Jon stops short. He turns around slowly, not quite sure of what’s happening. A boy is sitting on the window seat, with dark hair and tan skin. It’s at this moment that he registers that the spare bed for when they have visitors has been dragged into the space under his loft.

“Sorry, who’re you?” Jon asks dumbly. He must look really comically stupid, frozen in his doorframe like this.

“I am Damian,” the boy answers. “Thank you for allowing me to stay with you, it is very generous.”

Jon’s mouth opens and closes a few times before he gets any words out. “Yeah, sure, just—just one second.” He holds up a finger then ducks back out of the room.

“Dad, what the hell!” he says when he gets back to the living room.

Dad winces. “I see you’ve met Damian. That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about.” He makes a move to go outside, but stops when he sees that Jon is not going to follow. “Look, Jon, he’s just going to be staying with us for a little while. It’s not safe for him back home, and he’s very distrustful of the other agents.”

Jon huffs out a humorless laugh. “You know, most dads would go to a foreign country on a secret mission and bring their son back a postcard, not a _person_.”

Dad chuckles. “I know, Jonno. You know I only did it because there was no better option.”

Jon wants to be mad. But he also knows that his father is telling the truth. “I know,” he relents. “But does he have to stay in my room? What’s wrong with the living room, or Kon’s room?”

Dad lets out a long sigh and takes his glasses off to pinch the bridge of his nose. “Listen, Jonno, I think it’ll be good for him to be around someone his own age. It’s a very uncertain time for him right now and he’s going through a lot, so can you please try to be accommodating? Or at least tolerating?”

After a long moment of staring at his dad with narrowed eyes Jon relents, because logically he knows he’s being ridiculous and that this is the right thing to do. Sometimes he hates being a good person. “Fine. As long as he doesn’t get in the way of anything. Oh, God, I don’t have to take him to school, do I? I don't think I could handle that.”

“No, no,” Dad laughs and holds up his hand, sliding his glasses back on, “you don’t have to take him to school. There wouldn’t be a point. He’s just hiding out here until things smooth over in his country. Just try to be nice, okay? He’s going through a lot right now.”

“I’m sure,” Jon deadpans. “He’s probably used to grand palaces and vast gardens, and now he’s stuck in li’l ol’ Smallville, Kansas, smack in the middle o’ Nowheresville.” He throws his arms out to his sides dramatically. “Must be tough.”

“Come on, kid, have some sympathy.” Conner shoves him in the head from behind and Jon whips around to swat him away. Conner just keeps walking and opens the back door. “You comin’? Mom’s barbequin’.”

Jon huffs, but he has never been one to say no to Mom’s barbeque. “Yeah, yeah.” He follows after Conner and hits him on the shoulder with his baseball glove then starts shoving him out the door. “You’re playin’ catch with me until it’s ready.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> some wonderful art has been made to accompany this chapter by [bittlebarnes](http://bittlebarnes.tumblr.com) on tumblr! check it out [here](http://wisdom-walks-alone.tumblr.com/post/630915286700343296/bittlebarnes-image-id-damian-wayne-is)

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for reading! this will be updated semi regularly, so stay tuned for updates! kudos and comments are always appreciated!! and again, make sure to check out the [batfam big bang tumblr](http://batfam-big-bang.tumblr.com), and feel free to come say hi to me on [my personal tumblr](http://wisdom-walks-alone.tumblr.com) as well!


End file.
